Chapter 8

ICE: Thaw the Frozen Heart [EDITING]

Chapter 8

 

The text in red is meant to be in Mandarin :)


"Hoaaam," Yeojin yawned for the umpteenth time propping her head on the palm of her hand.

A fit of giggles from behind her didn't distract her from her homework.

"You're that tired huh, eonni?" Lin asked as she lay on her stomach on her bed with a laptop in front of her.

"Try going through 2 hours of looking at numbers just to make sure the debit and credit are balanced only to be greeted by another work with numbers the next hour." Yeojin replied bitterly focusing on her math homework. Her and numbers were not the best of friends. Not even a friend. Having a private lesson on accounting followed by math homework was draining her energy.

"I think I will have a nightmare of numbers chasing me toninght," she continued receiving a laughter from Lin. She then turned her chair around to face Lin. "I thought the private lesson was only your excuse to make Sehun agree on freeing me from the meeting."

"Order from the higher up." Lin grinned and Yeojin sighed throwing her head back and closing her eyes.

"I didn't know Mother would be so cruel to make me pay for yesterday's unattended private lesson."

"It wasn't Mom's plan," Lin revealed nonchalantly as she typed her assignment, but Yeojin was definitely surprised. Yeojin abruptly opened her eyes and lifted her head.

"What? It wasn't?" She asked wide-eyed. Lin shook her head in response while her eyes were still glued on the screen of her laptop. "But you said-"

"By 'higher up' I meant Gege. He called Mom last night to call your private tutor," Lin answered casually yet again (as Yeojin groaned) before she suddenly stopped typing and glanced up at Yeojin. "Wait." She raised her brows as she continued, "Did he not tell you?"

"Nope." Yeojin shook her head. "He only told me this morning that I would be sleeping over here since he needed to go to his postponed meeting in China." She groaned again rubbing her face. "Ugh! Your brother must be happy for making my life miserable!" She turned her chair back around to face the papers full of numbers.

"At least we get to sleep together like old times, Eonni." Lin chuckled.

 


The next morning, Yeojin lazily opened her locker and put her bag inside. Someone suddenly leaned sideways against the locker beside hers. She glanced from the corner of her eyes and sighed internally when she realized it was her so-called boyfriend. She silently resumed taking out books for her morning class, but she couldn't stop herself from being annoyed by the presence of Sehun as he watched her silently too.

"What?" She glared at him before looking away the next second, but the question came out more as a sigh.

"Nothing." He answered expresionlessly. He continued to eyed her silently as she adjusted the books cradled in her arm while her free hand was ready to close her locker.

His mind was actually wondering if it really were possible that she was the wife of Kris Wu, whether she was even a wife material, and whether he was just wasting his time trying to uncover something probably wasn't even covered. But he couldn't help feeling that there was more to this girl standing in front of him than meets the eyes. He was never the type to meddle with people's business. Nonetheless, this girl had somehow managed to interest him.

"We'll be having some kind of...an audition for the track and field competition tomorrow after school since yesterday Lin said that you will yet have another private lesson today," Sehun informed as he walked following Yeojin. "So," he caught up to her and walked beside her. "I'll take you home tomorrow."

Yeojin immediately came to a halt to protest, but Sehun kept walking ahead. "I don't want you to-- Ya! Oh Sehun!" She shouted, but he kept on walking and raised his hand to wave without turning around to face her. "Aish!" Yeojin clucked her tongue.
 


"I was so stupid!" Yeojin hit her head several times squeezing her eyes. "It feels like marrying Kris for the second time. Why did I get myself into another forced relationship?! Ugh!" She buried her face on her crossed arms laid on the table.

"But maybe it's not such a bad idea after all," Sunhee who was sitting in front of her tried to comfort her. "I mean...you're doing it to protect your secret. Plus, maybe - just maybe -he's actually the one for you."

Yeojin immediately lifted her head and narrowed her eyes on her best friend.

"Why are you so fond of the idea of me and Sehun being together?"

"I don't know~" Sunhee shrugged. "He just seems so into you."

"You mean so into ruining my life if he find out I'm actually what he thinks I am."

"Well...he lent his shirt to you the other day," Sunhee pointed out.

Right! I haven't returned his shirt!
Yeojin sat up with slumped shoulders.

"And Yeojin..." Sunhee placed her hand on Yeojin's. "Maybe this whole dating Sehun thing will help you open your heart. I know life is not just about finding your other half or having a boyfriend, but I think you're too scared of opening your heart. And that's obviously not good, you know."

"Okay okay I get what you mean," Yeojin rolled her eyes and sighed. "But if I'm going to open my heart to anyone, it won't be him. He's like a replica of Kris and they are not the kind of person I want to open my heart to. Actually... I don't think they will even knock on the door. Don't you know how cold they are?" She buried her face again.

"Well... You never know~"


"It's a pleasure working with you, Mr. Wu." The older man extended his hand toward Kris as they both stood up. He took it in a handshake and bobbed his head. "You're very young, but you're certainly built for the business world."

Except I don't actually want to be in it.
"Well then, if you'll excuse me, I'll take my leave." He politely bowed and walked out of the restaurant in a mall with Mr. Lee trailing behind him.

"So, what time is my flight?"

"It's at 2.30, Chairman," Mr. Lee answered after he checked his tablet. "But we need to be at the airport the latest at one o'clock."

Kris took a glance at his watch. "I'll rest for an hour then," Kris informed as they descended to the ground floor on the escalator.

They walked to the lobby passing several stores. Kris suddenly halted and took a second glance at a jewelry store. Belatedly realizing his boss was not in front of him, Mr. Lee stopped too and looked back.

"Is something wrong, Chairman?"

The question seemed to snap Kris back from whatever he was thinking. "Hm? Oh! It's nothing." He replied and strode to the direction of the store.


It was around 5.30 when the car came to a stop in front of the mansion. Mr. Lee came out of the front passenger seat, rounded the car and opened the back door to the car. Kris came out soon after with a sigh. He stared at the facade of the mansion he grew up in for a few seconds before striding to the front door which was just opened by Mr. Ahn.

"Hello, young master!" The older man greeted with a bow. "Long time no see," he added.

Kris gave out a small smile and nodded. He looked around feeling the empty atmosphere. He wondered where the family members were, and Mr. Ahn seemed to pick on that.

"The others are in their own room," he informed with a smile.

"Ah~" Kris answered shortly. He was curious as to where Yeojin specifically was, but he was unsure how to ask it without him sounding like he cared because he really didn't. He was just curious. Or so he believed. Mr. Ahn, having been watching him grew up and thus knew him pretty well, sensed it and smiled.

"Miss Yeojin is having a private lesson on waltz in the dance room." Mr. Ahn saved Kris from asking while pointing at a room on the far back of the house close to the dining room.

"O-oh." Kris was taken aback and somehow seeing the too cheerful grin on Mr. Ahn's face creeped him out. The older man was actually genuinely happy to see the now oh-so-tall young man he had not been able to meet for almost a year.

Kris glanced to the door of the pointed room then at the stairs leading to his room. He wasn't sure whether to go straight to his room or to check on Yeojin. He wasn't sure why he was even debating with himself.

"I'll check on dinner then. Perhaps you want to walk around the house by yourself." Mr. Ahn bobbed his head and went to the kitchen.

Kris thought he actually saw Mr. Ahn giving a little wink at which he belatedly shuddered. He wondered if the family's personal assistant was a psychic before. But that thought took him back to his previous self-debating. Why was he even thinking of checking on the girl he so hated?

He was still debating on it but his feet had already taken him right to the door of the dance practice room. After blankly staring at the closed door for a good one minute, he slightly opened it and peeked inside the vast room whose one side of the wall was covered with a large mirror. At first, he could only hear the sound of steps and a male voice counting and giving instruction. Through the narrow gap, he peeped at the large mirror with railings in front of it trying to catch a reflection of the practicing pair. A few seconds later, the awaited reflection appeared followed by the real figures. The counting of the steps was interrupted every now and then with the sound of a muffled grunt from the male. Apparently, Yeojin kept on missing a step and stepped on the male waltz instructor's foot instead. Yifan snorted a chuckle at how awkwardly stiff she looked like and how she apologized every time she stepped on his foot.

"I pity the instructor," he muttered to himself with a snicker.

"Oh don't be jealous. You'll be in his shoes sooner or later." A voice made Kris visibly jumped in surprise.

"God, Grandpa!" He grumbled squeezing his eyes and his chest trying to calm his racing heartbeat. He was seriously shocked. He didn't even hear the old man's steps approaching. "Did you have to sneak on me like that?" He gulped to wash down the shock on his chest as he closed the door.

His grandpa only let out his signature santa's chuckle as a reply while patting his shoulder.

"I never thought checking on your wife will be the first thing you're going to do when you get back." His grandpa chuckled again.

"I-I wasn't-I was just...," Kris stuttered. He hated it when his grandpa just always seemed to manage making him flustered. "I was just checking whether she has finished or not so that we can go home immediately if she have."

"Save your excuse." Chuckling yet again, Grandpa waved a hand dismissively. "I'm going to the library. Have fun peeking~" He walked away with a grin only to stop after a few steps. "Oh by the way," he looked back, "the new dance instructor is young and pretty handsome too." He raised his eyebrows twice and Kris just rolled his eyes mumbling "like I care" as the old man whistled away.

Kris' eyes followed his grandpa until he disappeared entering the library. He then shook his head and turned to walk away when he almost stumbled back at the sight of grinning Mr. Ahn. He almost cursed in shock, but the shock was too great for him to even utter the word. Instead, he only gulped and blinked questioningly. Mr. Ahn only raised a hand holding a set of two keys.

"Keys to your room, sir." He beamed at Kris. "I figured you may want to take a rest in your room while waiting for Miss Yeojin." Kris reached for the keys and nodded at him silently before walking away.

He ascended the stairs and went straight to his room deciding not to bother the others in their own rooms. He didn't really want to meet them anyway. Entering his own room after a year felt weird somehow. It was clean, nevertheless, despite being unoccupied for a year. He figured his mom might have told the maids to always clean it up. Kris plopped on his bed throwing his suit jacket on it at the same time and took out his phone to check some emails before he drifted off to sleep.

About half an hour later, a knock on his door woke him up. It took him a few seconds to remember that he was in the mansion and not in his own house. He lazily got up from his bed and walked to the door.

"Dinner's ready, sir! Everyone's already in the dining room. Your mother requested for your presence." Mr. Ahn informed him while he was still rubbing his eyes.

"I'll be there in a minute."

"Very well then, sir." Mr. Ahn bobbed his head and turned away as Kris closed the door.

Kris entered the room to wash his face and get his phone. As he was going down the stairs with hands in his pockets, he saw Yeojin walking with a guy talking to each other. He descended slower and eventually came to a stop still a few steps away from the foot of the stairs. He narrowed his eyes at the pair and remembered the guy to be the dance instructor. He didn't get a clear view of how the guy looked like then, but now that he did, he had to admit that his grandpa was right. The guy's good looking even from a guy's point of view.

Yeojin seemed to be really close to him though. They were both giggling over something. Yeojin was tucking a few strands of hair behind an ear smiling sheepishly, Kris observed. They reached the front door and the guy whispered something to her ear before getting whacked by her in the arm. Whatever the guy said clearly made her blush.

"Get out, Jongin!" She shouted at him playfully while pushing him out of the house.

"See you, next week then!" The guy- apparently called Jongin - replied around a chuckle.

Yeojin closed the door still chuckling when she turned around meeting Kris who was lifting an eyebrow at her.

"Oh! You're here!" She beamed at him.

"You seem happy," he pointed out flatly.

"Yeaah," she dragged with a questioning look written on her face. "Problem?"

Kris looked over her shoulder at the closed door - as if the Jongin guy was still there - before his eyes met hers again. "No."

"The family's waiting for both of you," Mr. Ahn announced standing beside the door to the dining room.

"Hyung!" Kris felt a weight pouncing on him and a set of arms wrapped around his waist as he entered the dining room.

"Oh! Hey there, buddy." Kris ruffled Jinho's hair fondly. He didn't greet the boy as cheerfully as the boy did him, but at least he did it with a smile and he appeared to be doing it sincerely too.

Yeojin looked at the two as she took a seat. She knew that her brother looked up to Kris and really admired him, and she thought that when Kris started being cold to everybody else in the family, he would be so to the boy too. But she had learned over the years that Kris was actually fond enough of her little brother that he couldn't be cold towards him.

Kris gave a short greeting to everybody else before sitting down beside Yeojin and his grandpa, who was sitting at the head of the table. Dinner went on with the family chatting happily though Kris was silent almost throughout the dinner. The only time he was actually really listening was when his grandpa was asking Yeojin of the new dance instructor. Apparently, the previous instructor injured his leg and couldn't teach for a few weeks, so he sent Jongin, his trusted student, to replace him. Kris actually voiced his opinion that they shouldn't take a risk of accepting a replacement who didn't know of their marriage lest it might start a rumor - though it was rather a fact than a rumor - amongst public before Yeojin graduated. Yeojin, though, said that he was an absolutely charming person - to which Kris scoffed at - and that it turned out that he was Sunhee's cousin. So, he roughly knew of the whole marriage thing and that was actually one of the reasons why the previous dance instructor trusted him to be the replacement.

"For someone who knows you're someone else's wife, he's very flirty towards you," Kris retorted as he stab a fruit with his fork making Yeojin blinked in surprise. He was going to continue on mocking him, but he decided against it and just dropped the topic when he saw his grandpa trying to hold a chuckle and Mr. Ahn, who was standing at a corner, giving him a knowing smile which made it seemed like they were going to say 'we know you're jealous' (which was not true). So Kris just rolled his eyes and mumbled '
"forget it."

Kris and Yeojin were ready to say goodbye to the family when they finished eating, but the pair was then asked to stay for the night by the family. Kris declined the offer saying he had to wake up early for work while Yeojin said that she didn't mind staying another night herself. After some persuasion by the family and some puppy-eye tricks from Jinho, Kris relented and agreed to stay for the night too.

But the family didn't stop with their request there. Kris' mom told Yeojin to sleep in his bedroom, to which Yeojin politely declined saying she wanted to sleep with Lin for some girl talk. But Lin was - of course - not on her side for this kind of matter. She said she wanted to sleep alone today. Kris just closed his eyes and rubbed his temple knowing that this kind of teasing was inevitable. Their family was not going to back down. Yeojin reluctantly agreed eventually and Kris asked Mr. Ahn to inform Mr. Lee that he could go home after bringing Kris' luggage to his room.
 


Yeojin closed the book on her lap and rubbed her tired eyes before reaching to place the book on the bedside table. She then noticed a small box on the table with Kris's wallet, phone and watch around it. Curious as to what inside the box was, she reached for it and opened the lid. She raised her brows in surprise when she saw a pair of earrings inside it. Before she could look at its detail, she heard the bathroom door clicked being unlocked. She quickly closed the box and put it where it was before scooting back to her side of the bed and lay sideways pretending to sleep.

The door of the bathroom swung open soon after and she could hear the sound of steps getting nearer. She closed her eyes tighter when she could feel his presence standing beside his side of bed. But instead of the dipping of the bed she was expecting to feel, she heard rustles of sheet and the sound of the wardrobe being slid shut. She gave up on pretending asleep and instead turned around to look just in time when Kris was grabbing his pillow beside her while hugging a duvet.

"Where are you going?" Yeojin sat up in surprise.

"You didn't actually think I'll sleep on one bed with you, did you?" He asked raising an eye brow before walking towards the sofa in front of the bed when Yeojin just looked away.

"But it's smaller than the one at our house." Yeojin pointed to the sofa as Kris was arranging his pillow and duvet. He apparently ignored her statement and lay down instead curling into a ball to fit himself on the sofa. It looked terribly uncomfortable for him to sleep there. "I'll sleep there instead. You should sleep on the bed," Yeojin offered.

"Just go to sleep, Yeojin." Kris sounded extremely tired and though she couldn't clearly see his face under the dim light, Yeojin was pretty sure he already had his eyes closed. She was actually going to proposed the idea again, but his calling her name without any hint of anger struck her dumb. "And turned off the bed lamp, will you?" She concluded that he indeed must be very tired. So she just silently reached over the bed to turn off the lamp.

Soon they both drifted off to deep sleep. Yet, Yeojin found her body shooting up right at a little over midnight. She wasn't awakened because of the usual nightmares though, rather because of the loud crashing sound of thunder. After looking around and spotted Kris' sleeping figure, she breathed out in relief and lay back down pulling the cover around her tightly. It had only been five minutes before she was awaken to another sound of thunder and finally decided she couldn't go back to sleep. Right then her eyes were already welling with tears. She needed a hug so badly and she needed one immediately before the horrible memory came flooding her mind again.

Knowing that Kris was very tired, she didn't want to wake him up. Actually, she wouldn't do so even if he wasn't because she thought it would be so awkward to fall asleep being hugged by him. The only person she could think of that could give her a hug was her mom.

She debated on whether she should disturb her mom's sleep or not, but another sound of thunder disrupted her though and she decided on the latter while scrambling out from her bed. She tiptoed to the door in order not to wake Kris up.

"Where are you going?"

Yeojin halted and looked back at the figure who was still lying on the sofa. She squinted her eyes at him and could vaguely see his eyes were still closed. She blinked a few times thinking that maybe she was just imagining a few seconds ago. She turned for the door again, but was stopped by the same question.

"Where are you going?"

Yeojin looked back again. Kris slowly opened his eyes and their eyes locked. Little did she know that Kris was actually awakened when she was awakened the first time because she actually shrieked. He couldn't go back to sleep after that and instead listened to her short intake of breath. He was going to get up and approached her to calm her down but when he heard her breathing was becoming stable, he decided against it.

Yeojin gulped in surprise, but then she looked away and cleared . "M-mom," her voice came out croaked.

Kris was puzzled for a moment but when his ears registered the sound of rain outside again, he understood what she meant.

"Your mom's sleeping with Jinho," Kris said as he sat up. "You're not a kid anymore. Just go back to sleep."

Yeojin looked back at the door and closed her eyes furrowing her brows. He doesn't understand. She heard rustling of the duvet and thought that Kris was going back to sleep.

"I- I can't," she stuttered still squeezing her eyes shut. "I need her hug."

"Will hugging my arm help?" Yeojin's eyes flew opened at how close his voice sounded like. She turned around met by the towering man. She looked up at him searching for what he meant. "You slept clinging to my arm the other day," he said after clearing his throat. "Will... Will that help?" Yeojin stared at his eyes baffled, but after a moment she weakly nodded.

"M-maybe," she replied in a small voice while looking down. When she lifted her head Kris was already walking to the bed hugging his pillow and placing it on the bed afterwards. He threw himself to the bed with a contended sigh. Yeojin hurried to the bed soon after when a low rumble in the sky was heard and sat on the bed.

"Ha! I think I'm getting back pain from sleeping on the couch too often," Kris muttered to himself while closing his eyes. He brought his left arm behind his head and sighed again. He let his right arm lie freely on the bed and didn't say anything else.

Yeojin wondered whether she should just lay and hug his arm or wait for him to sleep. But then again, he seemed to already entered slumber. She pondered some more, but her train of thought was cut short by yet another loud thunder. She immediately hug his right arm resting her head on it too and squeezed her eyes shut. When the clashing sound of thunder subsided into a low rumble she slowly opened her eyes and lifted her head away from his arm to see his face. He looked peaceful. She concluded he really had fallen asleep and rested her head back on his arm hugging it tighter and snuggled closer to him.

Just hugging his arm was reassuring for her. It wasn't as comfortable as her mom's hug, but it was reassuring enough for her to go back to sleep at least for this night. She was just about to sleep when he suddenly spoke - apparently not asleep yet.

"This is the last time. I'm not going to do this again." Yeojin opened her eyes and was thinking of something to reply, but she was saved from doing so when Kris continued, "Now sleep! We both need one if we want to wake up early tomorrow." With one long exhale of breath he fell asleep and she closed her eyes soon after.

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190506 ICE: Chapter 72 updated!

Comments

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krisxoxo23
#1
Chapter 82: Missed the story, been few years already, hoping there'll be an update 😭😭😭
Emily345 #2
Chapter 82: Ohh how I miss this story... ?
Will you be updating again ??
2407briana #3
Chapter 82: Whoa whoa whoa I was not prepared for that
mznary #4
Chapter 82: WHAT?!! NOOOO NOO! Yifannnnn!!
miyoonji #5
Chapter 82: So, who is Yeojin going to choose?
tutialawiyah #6
Chapter 82: I was thinking Kris want to step down from his position to protect Yeojin. But what now? Is he seriously wanna give up on everything?? Cmon, atleast you should have one whether it's yeojin or your company T.T
gogogirl26 #7
Chapter 82: Aishhhh.. kris :(
chichiba #8
Chapter 82: Kris is ready to let Yeojin go... im sad?
chonanay
#9
Chapter 82: :'((
Shinhye-ssi
#10
Chapter 82: Are they breaking up?